Governor's Message
 About the Governor's Awards

 Arts Administration
 Arts in Education
 Arts Patron
 Business Support of the Arts
 Community Development
    and Participation
 Individual Artist
 Individual Artist II

 About the Artist
 Award Artwork

 About Arts Day
 Acknowledgements

 The Lima Senior High
    Spartanaires

 Event Sponsors
 Media Sponsors
 Table Sponsors
 Additional Support

 Award Selection Committee

Individual Artist

Steve Free, singer/songwriter, McDermott

Nominated By: Beverly McClain

Ohio Appalachian singer and songwriter Steve Free is an eight-time ASCAP award winning songwriter, with a platinum record to his name and 12 songs that have made it to national and international charts. Honored many times by his peers and recognized for his performances on National Public Radio, Free was the 1996 Academy of Independent Recording Artist Singer/Songwriter of the Year. He is known both nationally and internationally for his original songs and his CDs No Regrets, Rivers, Rails and Tales and Timeline. Equally at home with an audience full of young children as with senior citizens, Free dedicates his time and talents to numerous non-profit and community efforts throughout the state for fundraisers and other public events. He volunteered to give a benefit concert for the non-profit organization Friends of Jennie Wade to assist with the development of a media center in a restored paddle wheel boat. The project tells the tales of the people of the Ohio River valley region; Free became a singing ambassador for the center, even dedicating one of the recordings on his next CD to the project. Free is particularly popular with young people. At Georgetown Elementary in Brown County, Free assisted with the planning of an original musical production with the sixth grade students. The Children’s Concert Society in Summit County has booked eight concerts each year for the past seven years with Free and his group. His natural talent for making the music come alive and his knowledge of Appalachian and Native American music has the ability to capture the imagination and hearts of all who hear him perform. A selfless educator and true humanitarian, Steve Free performs for the love of the art, not the dollar in the pocket.

Steve Free video tribute (6:21 minutes)